Here's a list of mostly Gothic Metal albums, exclusively of the "Beauty and the Beast" type (which refers to clean "angelic" female vocals contrasted with male growls/screams). I made this list because it's one of my all-time favourite subgenres of which I own "a lot" of great albums. Since there are several lists of the best Gothic Metal albums on MS, I didn't feel like creating a similar one, but rather an exclusive list solely comprised of this subgenre. It could be useful as a guide for people who are searching for these kinds of albums, though I'm very open to suggestions since I obviously haven't heard all great albums yet. Lastly, everything on this list is at least worth a 7.5/10 rating and I only add a maximum of 2 albums per band.

1.Tristania - Widow's Weeds

2.The Sins Of Thy Beloved - Lake Of Sorrow

3.Draconian - Where Lovers Mourn

4.Epica - The Phantom Agony

5.Theatre Of Tragedy - Velvet Darkness They Fear

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1.Type O Negative - Bloody Kisses

2.Within Temptation - The Silent Force

3.Haggard - And Thou Shalt Trust... The Seer

4.Anathema - Serenades

5.My Dying Bride - Turn Loose The Swans

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My top 75 favourite albums of all time (initially it was a top 20 list, and after that top 50). Only 1 album per band. The list is in alphabetical order, so it doesn't represent explicitly which album is my absolute favourite (I don't have one). All albums on this list have earned at least a 9/10 rating. Albums with a star (★) have received a 10/10 rating from me. I've added genres and my favourite songs.

1.After Forever - Decipher

2.Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain

3.Alcest - Souvenirs D'un Autre Monde

4.Amorphis - Tales From The Thousand Lakes

5.Anathema - The Silent Enigma

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Favorite Albums Of All Time!(Mine not yours)

1.Kamelot - The Black Halo

2.Kamelot - Epica

3.Within Temptation - The Unforgiving

4.Nightwish - Oceanborn

5.Kamelot - Ghost Opera

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Lots of genres, not repeating any Band (except Therion, but with 3 different styles). You cannot go wrong with this list, some nice Starts to any kind of Metal.
The list is sorted by year, but has not any particular order. Enjoy!

1.Queensrÿche - Operation: Mindcrime

2.Atheist - Unquestionable Presence

3.Therion - Symphony Masses - Ho Drakon Ho Megas

4.Cynic - Focus

5.Amorphis - Tales From The Thousand Lakes

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1.Dimmu Borgir - Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia

2.Moonsorrow - Voimasta Ja Kunniasta

3.After Forever - Decipher

4.Finntroll - Jaktens Tid

5.Arch Enemy - Wages Of Sin

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This is the list for my favorite albums. It will with no doubt change from time to time and some may disappear or move from a spot to another.

1.Agalloch - The Mantle

2.Agalloch - Ashes Against The Grain

3.Draconian - Arcane Rain Fell

4.For My Pain - Fallen

5.Agalloch - Marrow Of The Spirit

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1.My Dying Bride - The Dreadful Hours

2.Therion - Secret Of The Runes

3.After Forever - Decipher

4.Amorphis - Am Universum

5.Eternal Tears Of Sorrow - A Virgin And A Whore

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1.Opeth - Blackwater Park

2.Lacrimas Profundere - Burning: A Wish

3.Moonspell - Darkness And Hope

4.My Dying Bride - The Dreadful Hours

5.Therion - Secret Of The Runes

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1.The Gathering - Mandylion

2.Within Temptation - Mother Earth

3.Epica - The Divine Conspiracy

4.Nightwish - Once

5.Angtoria - God Has A Plan For Us All

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My Top Symphonic/Atmospheric/Female Fronted(whatever you wanna call it...) Albums of all time with its subgenres: gothic, power, folk, prog...
Still, The order may change from time to time....!!

1.Within Temptation - The Silent Force

2.Nightwish - Century Child

3.Epica - Consign To Oblivion

4.Therion - Vovin

5.Within Temptation - The Heart Of Everything

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These albums are my favorite since I started listen to Metal.

1.Kamelot - The Black Halo

2.Epica - Consign To Oblivion

3.Within Temptation - The Heart Of Everything

4.After Forever - After Forever

5.Blackfield - Blackfield

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Updating this as of 20th Nov 2012

1.Madder Mortem - All Flesh Is Grass

2.Paradise Lost - Icon

3.The Gathering - Mandylion

4.Tiamat - Wildhoney

5.Throes Of Dawn - Quicksilver Clouds

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1.Ensiferum - Ensiferum

2.Opeth - Blackwater Park

3.Kreator - Violent Revolution

4.After Forever - Decipher

5.Gamma Ray - No World Order

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If you know other wonderful songs which are missing in this list, feel free to suggest them to me

1.Adagio - Underworld

2.Aerosmith - Aerosmith

3.After Forever - Prison Of Desire

4.After Forever - Decipher

5.After Forever - After Forever

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